


The Secret

by Dreamsand



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: AU, Bunnymund gets excited, Fear, Jackrabbit relationship, M/M, North gives advice, Pooka!Jack, Sad Bunnymund Feels later on, Secrets, sad feels in general
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-17
Updated: 2016-11-17
Packaged: 2017-12-05 13:57:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/724052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamsand/pseuds/Dreamsand
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack is a Pooka. Bunnymund is not aware of Jack being a Pooka since Jack was way too intimidated after the blizzard of '68 to come out. Of course Jack can't stand being a human forever and rarely lets his ears down, one day he runs into Bunnymund and has to deal with the events that follow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Fist Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, I know that Pooka!Jack has been done before, I'm not going to say that my version is any good but I like it. In the later chapters I may explain the slight differences between the movie and this fic, but keep in mind that this is slight AU (Because obviously the teeth scene couldn't happen) I will admit that I'm not the best writer out there but this plot bunny (lol) wouldn't leave me alone so here it is. I hope you at least enjoy it.

Jack was uncomfortable being in Bunnymund’s Warren. Sure, it was peaceful enough, if a little warm for his tastes. It was beautiful too, the grass and the trees in constant greens, frozen in spring. No it wasn’t the scenery that was the problem, it was Bunny himself. 

It shouldn’t come as a big surprise either; Aster was a very dominate Pooka while Jack was more of a Pooka in hiding. Oh sure, he had started off allowing his fur to take over, to be in his true skin. But after getting a glimpse of how mad the Easter Bunny had been over one little blizzard? Well Jack didn’t want to cross any more toes. Of course he couldn’t just give up that easily which was where his playful banter came from, but at the end of the day he was still slightly afraid of the older Pooka. 

It was one thing to be a little playful above ground where they were on equal footing, it was another thing entirely to accidentally piss Bunnymund off in his own den of all places. That was why Jack continued to hide what he was, not wanting his very presence to come off as a challenge of sorts. It was clear to the white haired male that Earth was Bunny’s domain. The Pooka had been here first after all, had probably seen all there was to be seen and had gathered the belief of many children. Jack on the other hand? He was barely 300 and might be seen as competition which while in small doses was loads of fun, shouldn’t be taken seriously. Especially when it came to someone who was way older and stronger than he was, even if he didn’t like to admit it.

Alas, it didn’t seem that fate was on his side. Bunnymund had asked for all the Guardians to help with Easter preparations again this year to make up for the recent failure of it due to Pitch. While Jack did feel guilty for the events that had passed he wasn’t exactly comfortable going back to the Pooka’s Warren, even if the others would be there to ensure he wouldn’t have to spend time alone with Aster.

Eventually guilt had won out which is why he was sitting on a rock in the middle of a small meadow, a litter of eggs surrounding the base as he carefully painted each of them. He doubted his eggs would actually be used in the hunt, he had probably only been given the duty to ensure that he wouldn’t mess anything up again. Still he couldn’t deny how peaceful the Warren was, if given a nice little cold breeze to keep him from growing too warm. 

He had to be careful not to get too relaxed. Sure it would feel nice to stretch out his legs and let his ears flop to the side of his head but he knew he couldn’t resist Bunny finding out just how alike they were. It wasn’t like he hadn’t grown used to his human form, sure it had its drawbacks but it was good in its own way, even if it couldn’t really compare to his bunny shape. Maybe later he’d go for a run around Maine, maybe even Canada.

With the idea of getting to stretch his legs he returned his thoughts back to the eggs, continuing to delicately paint the squirming creatures, a small grin on his face as he played around with different patterns. He even made sure not to use a hint of blue so Bunny wouldn’t think he was trying to put his name on Easter, it was very much Aster’s holiday and Jack wouldn’t intrude on it again.

-+-+-+-

Eggs painted and night falling everyone had agreed it was time to take a break. Easter wasn’t for another four days after all and they weren’t used to the work it took like Bunnymund was. Eventually they had gotten the rabbit to agree to their early release so long as they swore to return the next day. 

Jack was excited to be out of the Warren. Yes, it was very pretty but it was also very stressful to him. What if Bunny got too close and could smell him out? Of course he knew that wouldn’t happen. He smelled just like a human while in the shape so long as it wasn’t right after he transformed into it.

Out in the open he took his clothes off and hid them in a safe place by his lake before letting his body stretch and grow. At first it had been uncomfortable but the white Pooka was used to it by now. His long ears twitched as he tapped his foot on the ground a few times, stretching to get all the kinks out of his body. When was the last time he had allowed himself to relax like this? Far too long in his opinion. 

After a moment of more stretching he finally darted off into the forest, the wind whistling against his ears as he pressed them against his head. It felt good to be on all fours again. Maybe since it was so close to Easter he could risk a few more runs, Bunny was distracted enough with his preparations in any case so it allowed a bit of time where Jack felt comfortable enough to let his ears down.

He let out a load yell as he ran through the trees, deciding that he had thought enough about Bunny for one night, it was time to have some fun! He grinned and tried to race against the wind, wanting something to do. He wouldn’t let the children he knew see him like this, at least not without explaining things first. It would be far too awkward, especially since Sophie was into a bunny kick because of last year. 

And he was having fun racing against the wind, bounding across the land; until he ran into something that popped out of the ground. He let out a noise as he crashed into a large tree, tumbling head over heels and hitting his head. His vision swam for a moment, having been going too fast to be able to recover from such a trip without taking a moment to breathe. Shaking his head he gathered himself and crawled onto all fours, one paw reaching up to check for any serious injury. His paw came back a little pink causing him to frown, he was sure it wasn’t anything too deep since it only stung a bit.

Looking over at the other party involved he froze as Bunnymund stared at him, his chest freezing as he dared not to take even a small breath. Bunny wasn’t supposed to be up on the surface, he was supposed to be getting ready for Easter. No way had he run out of paint already. Then again with North and the Yetis helping, that probably was the case.  
Bunny’s arm lifted as if he was trying to touch Jack, though the small white Pooka was having none of that. Feeling startled with the movement he ran away, his heart pounding as his limbs raced over the ground, his ears barely registering Bunny’s cry of “Wait!” No way was he stupid enough to do something like that.

-+-+-+-

His chest was heaving by the time he finally felt safe enough to slow down. He thought there was enough distance between them to take a moment to catch his breath. He collapsed against the ground, feeling utterly spent. It wasn’t every day that he got to run around so now he was tired, and hopped up on adrenaline. What if Bunny was still following him? Had the Pooka even been chased? He wasn’t sure; it could just be that Bunnymund had tried to chase him away from whatever material he wanted to turn into paint. Another few moments went by before Jack sat up on the ground and decided it wasn’t safe to stay in this form any longer. Willing his body to relax he let out a soft grunt as he sat naked on the ground, his body thankfully used to the chilly night. 

The wind had thankfully brought his clothes and staff to him after a few more minutes. Jack stood and dressed, feeling even tenser than he had earlier in the Warren. The one time in so long he was able to be free for a bit it had been ruined. It was his own fault though; he shouldn’t have taken such a chance. While he did desire the freedom to be his natural self ever since his first meeting with the older Pooka he had tried to force himself to be human, even going so far as to pick up a few of their traits. Not that any of that would do any good if he was caught. He just didn’t think that Bunny would let another Pooka in on his territory, and to Jack the entire Earth was home to Bunnymund. Which of course left him with very little choice than to go talk to North about things. Sure, he wouldn’t reveal himself to any of his friends but perhaps he could learn a bit about why Bunny was the only other Pooka. In truth Jack didn’t even know there was a name for what he was, only finding out after the events with Pitch. He couldn’t exactly remember his early years or how he came to be on the planet but he did know that he and Bunnymund were the only two, at least that he was aware of. Maybe there had once been more of their kind but Bunny drove them all away. Despite his desire to act tough it was very clear to Jack that Aster was indeed a strong warrior, though he supposed that came with being… well just how old was the other anyway?

Grabbing up his staff he called out for the wind to take him to the workshop, hoping to get some answers to his many questions surrounding the other Pooka.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...


	2. Seeking comfort, finding none

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been awhile. Inspiration struck randomly so I thought I'd post what I wrote. It's not very long as I have a very important test I should be studying for, but Lady Muse strikes when she desires.
> 
> Forgive any inconsistencies with canon, it's actually been awhile since I've seen the movie so some information might be wrong.

Despite wanting answers Jack couldn’t help but take his time, he needed to calm down a bit more, He was certain if he didn’t North would recognize that something was wrong and while he knew the man meant well, Jack knew he couldn’t explain what was bothering him. 

Feelings of shame swirled his head as he drifted North. He had been so careful, but in the end it was all for nothing. What if Aster decided to hunt him down? Or worse, what if he had inadvertently ruined Easter again? If Bunnymund was too distracted to finish the egg preparations then Jack would feel horrible. 

Shaking his head he inhaled some cold air, letting the sting seep into his lungs. He couldn’t waste time considering all of the ‘what ifs’ no, he just needed to lay low. Surely he could ignore the desire to change forms. Maybe not forever, but maybe a year? Would that be enough time for Aster not to feel threatened?

Letting out a misty huff he closed his eyes and tried to just focus on the cold wind. It had felt good to stretch out, to be himself again. It had been months since the last time he had transformed, too busy with winter to really pay much attention to his instincts. 

After an hour of just drifting he felt calm enough to put his attention back on getting to the workshop. Despite the busy day of helping with Easter the place was still bustling, not that it surprised Jack. Hanging off his staff he grinned at the yettis, able to tell that they still weren’t entirely comfortable with the idea of him being allowed inside. Hell, Jack wasn’t himself.

“Hey, North,” he greeted after causing a small snowstorm in the great hall for the helpers. He had made sure the snow would clear itself up before leaving. 

“Ah, Jack! Did you come for some milk and cookies? A good day of work builds up the appetite, hmm?” 

Jack shook his head but took one of the offered sugar cookies anyway, never one to turn down a bite. “Spending the day with Bunnymund made me a bit curious,” he said, easily telling a white lie to the older man. “How old is Bunnymund anyway?”

North stroked his beard, curious at the seemingly sudden interest in their furred friend. He didn’t think much of it however, he knew that Jack and Aster had only recently been getting along. The frost sprite was likely too shy to ask the rabbit these questions himself. “I’m not quite sure, as old as Spring itself most likely.” 

He wasn’t thrilled with that answer. That meant that Aster had hundreds of years, centuries even, to think of the Earth as his own domain. It only further cemented Jack’s need to hide himself. “I see,” he said distantly, getting lost in his own thoughts. Before he could ask another question he looked up, hearing Bunnymund’s voice. “I’m telling you Tooth, I know what I saw!” 

Jack swallowed, suddenly feeling nervous. It seemed today luck wasn’t on his side, twice now Aster had shown up and surprised him. Hearing the chatter grow closer he moved towards one of the large windows. “You know, I have some last minute winter to bring. Better get it out now so it will melt in time for Easter,” he said with a nervous laugh as he opened the window and threw himself out of it, the wind easily catching him.

-+-+-+-

“Are you sure, my friend? After all of these years perhaps your desire to find one of your kind has finally started to play tricks on you, yes?” North said, trying not to sound too disbelieving. He believed that Aster had seen something, but another Pooka? It hurt to think about it to himself but his friend was the last of his kind. The loneliness must finally be getting to him, perhaps they had not been spending enough time with the Pooka. North kept such thoughts to himself, not wanting to set the other off.

“I’m tellin’ ya! I know what I saw! It was a Pooka clear as day.” Aster said, starting to get angry that his friends were having such a hard time believing him. Sure, he could hardly believe it himself but it had happened, he had finally found one of his own kind. What had hurt however was how scared the other Pooka looked, how fast it had bounded away before Aster could even get a proper sniff. Where had it come from? More importantly, what could have made the other so frightened? 

Aster’s protective instincts were kicking into overdrive. The desire to track down the Pooka was intense, to the point he had briefly forgotten how close to Easter it was. He warred with himself a moment, the desire to seek out and protect the last of his kind was great, but at the same time he couldn’t disappoint the ankle-bitters, not again.

Hunting down the other Pooka would have to wait until after Easter. It was a hard decision and Aster felt a large lump in his throat, but he couldn’t put off Easter. Little did he know he would nearly come to regret his choice when he found himself unable to even get a sniff of the other Pooka after his holiday was over, he didn't even know where to start looking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...


End file.
